Not Love: Loneliness
by Eternal Love Song
Summary: Ino and Shikamaru have been secretly dating. It's not out of love, it's loneliness. Three teams are given a special secret mission, but what's this all about? Rated for intense kissing scenes. Plans for sequel cancelled.
1. Chapter 1

Not Love: Loneliness

Shikamaru pushed Ino against a wall as he smothered her lips in a kiss. She wrapped one arms around his neck to draw him closer. His tongue slid over her lips. She parted her lips to give him entry. He explored her mouth and tasted her hollow passion. A sound was heard behind them. They untangled from each other in a hurried manner that was free from any embarrassment or guilt.

Naruto ran down the hallway towards them. "Huh? What are you two doing standing around her?" He didn't wait for them to answer, though they wouldn't have anyway. "Iruka-sensei is letting us train more before the next round of the exams. You better hurry."

They followed him silently. Naruto running, them walking. They entered the room and went up to the platform. The previous day they had all picked numbers to decide who would battle. The first to battle was some girl named Ten-ten and their other team member. He seemed to be losing. Badly!

Ino leaned against the rail and watched the battle with extremely little interest. Next to her, Shikamaru did the same. She didn't want to be here at the moment. But she didn't particularly want to be alone with Shikamaru again. She was just plain bored.

Across from her she saw Sasuke. It felt as if her heart had just started beating. She stared longingly at him. He was so perfect. He had everything. He was smart, he had good looks, and was probably the strongest person that was entered in the exams.

Shikamaru glanced towards Ino. She was staring at Sasuke, he knew. He didn't really care. He had no desire to be with Ino. Or any other girl in the exams. At least, none that he'd met thus far. He had no actual affection for her, but it was better than the alternative…

Ino sighed. She'd much rather have been kissing Sasuke. That would be like a dream. She'd take anything from Sasuke that she could get. A smile, a few words, even a glance in her direction would suffice for her. Anything that would let her hope he could at least know she was alive. That she existed. There were no such signs though. She sighed.

"Match Ten-Ten." Iruka-sensei called out. "The next match. Five and seven." Two people she didn't recognize stepped out. She wasn't up to this. She walked out the room. Shikamaru followed, explaining that she didn't feel well and he would check on her.

On the opposite side, Sakura wondered what was wrong with Ino. Though they were rivals, Sakura worried about her use-to-be friend. She asked for permission to leave. She saw Ino and moved closer to hear her talking, keeping as quiet as possible.

Ino broke into tears. She felt horrible. Horrible and pathetic and alone. The person she loved so dearly would never pay attention to her. She felt a terrible stinging pain in her chest. In every heart beat. It hurt her to breathe. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Shikamaru. She exploded with rage. "Why the hell did you follow me?"

"Because I felt like it." He said coldly. His ice seared over her heart. The icy wind eased the burning she felt for a moment.

"Why? You don't have a reason to! You don't care about me!"

"I don't have to." He said with just as much cruelty as the first time. He moved closer to her. She stepped back from him. Her pain was slowed again. She found it hard to continue crying, but she had a bit of rage to release.

"I hate you!" she said. The pain stopped with the truthfulness of the statement. She had stopped crying. Sasuke was worthy of her tears. Shikamaru was not.

"I know you do." He said. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. Her heart felt cold and hard. She no longer felt any emotions. She never felt anything when she kissed him. In truth, she didn't want Shikamaru. She didn't even like him. He felt the same. She just didn't want to be alone. Being alone would be the worst thing that could happen to her. That's one reason that made her a good ninja. She wasn't afraid of being killed or any pain that would come. She just couldn't stand to be alone.

Sakura gasped. She covered her mouth with her hands. Shikamaru and Ino. It couldn't be. There was no way. She left quickly. The shock following her back to the others.

Ino remembered when she a Shikamaru first began to secretly date each other. She had been sitting in an empty classroom, not long after the teams were picked for the exams. She was on the floor. Her kness to her chest, her arms around her. She had been crying then, too. She was startled when he'd come in. "What do you want." she had yelled.

He looked at her. "You're alone. You don't like that, huh?"

"No. I hate it."

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes had widened in surprise. She remained how she was. He stopped kissing her and looked her in her eyes. "I do, too. Be with me."

She couldn't believe this. "I don't want you." she had told him.

"I don't like you either. But we're on the same team. It would be easier to hide. And you wouldn't have to be alone." he told her. "Dealing with me is better than that, at least."

He was right. That was better than that. She had pulled him to her and kissed him back. This would be better than trying to date someone, she had told herself. And even now, she still thought that. He would expect nothing from her except her presence. She didn't have to love him, like him, trust him, she didn't even really have to talk to him. Aside from what they did for the exams.

It worked for them. They didn't owe each other anything. Not affection. Not love. Loneliness is the only thing they had to stop. Besides that, they had nothing. They just kept one another from being lonely.


	2. Chapter 2

Yes, I have continued the story.

I will not promise that they will be in love but you can hope.

Continue to reveiw, please.

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

_**Chapter two**_

Ino walked ouside in the rain. She was bored. Very bored. Two days of training and she had had it. She wasn't all that strong she had to admit. It was embarrassed to lose like that to everyone. In front of Sasuke at that! She walked a bit more, then stopped. She'd started to feel a little lonely. When she started to feel like this Shikamaru was supose to be with her.

On cue, arms wrapped around her from behind. She didn't move, jump, or flinch. She knew it was him. "Why are you out in the rain." he asked her.

"Because I felt like it." she said snappishly. She seemed to always sound irratated and annoyed when she spoke to him. "Why are you out here?"

"Because I saw you." he replied. He always sounded so dull and unemotional. It always turned her heart to ice. That was one thing she appreiated about Shikamaru. There would never be the threat of attatchment.

"So what?" she responded the same way as before. She didn't really intended for her answers to sound the way it did. In reality, she was happy it turned it out that way. That her voice place anger within itself. It helped to keep things away. Feelings, thoughts, woeds. She had none. They materialized on their own. And they would not do anything at all emotional. Even if she was, they were in permanant anger.

"So I came here to be with you." His iced tone fuelled her fire.

"I don't see why you bothered."

"You called me." she began to pay attention to his woeds from curiosity. "You were about to feel lonely, weren't you?"

He was right, she was. She slipped away into her misted state. That was the state she in when she let her voice respond without her help. It was often that atate she was in with Shikamaru.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"That's why I'm here. That's why I'm here. That's the reason you let me do things like." He kissed her neck. Her blank gaze was in the direction as before. She seemed unaffection.

"You're a bore Shikamaru. So unfun it's sickening." She kissed him on his short moment. "You're going to meet me later." she told him. Then she left.

Shikamaru watched her a moment. He began his own walk through the rain. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked through the light shower. It was very convient that she had began to feel lonely at that time. He was beginning to feel the same way.

He sighed to himself. "Man, life is such a bore."

He kept walking and heard sounds in the forest. He would have kept walking but heard voices.

"Naruto, I''m telling you the truth." He heard Sakura's voice.

Having nothing better to do, he walked to where he heard the voices. He made no real attempt to hide himself.

"Are you sure that's what really happened?" Naruto asked skeptically.

"Don't you believe me?" Sakura responded.

"Yeah, I believe you. But maybe you mistook what you saw."

"I'm telling you, I didn't. I saw Ino kissing Shikamaru the other day after they'd both left Iruka-sensei's training."

'So that's what they were talking about.' Shikamaru thought. He crouched down as Naruto looked in his direction. He had no desire to be caught now that he had learned what they were talking about. He wanted to know what they would do. He had no intension of letting it get around that him and Ino were dating. He didn't want anyone to think he liked her.

"I know that they're both really annoying, but I don't think we should ruin there reputations that way."

"Fine then, if you don't believe me, I'll prove it!"

That was it. He ran past Naruto, performing his trademark jitsuu. Shikamaru made Naruto knock Sakura unconsious then himself. He would have had no problem doing this without the use of a jitsuu but he didn't want to be seen They wouldn't be up to see him and Ino and that was his current objective.

He wouldn't tell Ino. It would just make her talk on and on about how it was his fault. He didn't want to deal with that. She showed her dislike to him enough in public, it wasn't her place to do it when they were alone.

"This is such a drag." he said. He went to where he would meet Ino. He felt like being around someone, she would have to be that person. He walked through a few trees and saw her. He stopped as she walked over to him.

Ino wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She pressed her lips against his and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her tongue slid across his lips and requested entry into his mouth. He complied, letting her tongue into his mouth. She roamed his mouth very thurally. She abruptedly pulled away and glared at him.

"You are not Sasuke." she said sourly.

He pushed her against a tree and pinned her arms next to her head. "Are you going to stand there and whine or let me kiss you?"

Ino blinked, surprised that he'd said that. He didn't wait for her to answer. He simply kissed her with a slightly emotional tint to it. She recognized that kiss. When he felt loney, actually lonely, he kissed her like that. It made her feel like she was being searched. He was searching her for some sort of emotion. It was shattering because there was none and he would never find anything.

Shikamaru used his kiss to search for some sort of emotion. Not love, that would be too false. But something else, something comforting. Any affection, friendship, something that wasn't hate.

Ino slightly parted her lips. Shikamaru slid his tongue in her mouth. She had to stop his lonely. It was the only reason they were together. Unless they found a way not to be lonely, she had to keep his away. So she did the only thing she could do, she did her job.


	3. Chapter 3

I've added a plot to this, since I'm continueing. I hope you all don't mind.

There won't be Shikamaru, Ino contact in this chapter but it is very important.

Many apologies for the wait.

If I have any incorrect information please alert me.

I am not a Naruto expert.

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

_**Chapter three**_

Ino stood at the entrance to the woods. She looked at the midnight blue envelope in her hand and the note that was with it.

_For your next step of training,_

_go to the edge of the village._

'I'm here so ehat's suppose to happen?' Ino thought. Just then, Sakura walked over. They both stopped and stared at each other. They pointed and yelled simontaniously, "What are you doing here?"

Hinata came over. "Hello." she said quietly.

"Calm down."

"Kakashi-sensei, what's going on?" Sakura asked.

"The next step of your training. You three are going on a secret retrival mission."

"But why do I have to go with her?" Ino asked angrily.

"You two used to be friends right?"

"Yeah, used to be. Past tense." Ino stressed.

"A ninja must put aside personal feelings for the sake of a mission. You will be asked to work with anyone at anytime.

"What are we going to get?" Hinata asked quietly.

"An envelope from a small village. I'll contact you with envelopes like this one." Kakashi held up the midnight colored envelope. In the corner there was a red seal. A red cresent moon and a Kunai knife. "Pay close attention to this seal. If it is not exactly like this, in exactly this spot, do not follow the orders in the envelope. Do what was previously instructed. Understand?"

"Yes, sensei. We understand." Sakura said.

"When do we leave?" asked Hinata.

"Tomorrow. Meet back here before dawn."

"Okay. Will this take long? Longer than a day?" Ino asked.

"Hm, depends."

"On what?" Ino asked, a bit annoyed he didn't directly answer her question.

"How well you follow my instructions." Kakashi said.

"Okay." They started to walk away.

"Oh, one more thing. If anyone finds out you automatically fail the mission." The three of them stopped in there tracks. "Good luck." He smiled and left them.

"If anyone finds out..." Sakura mumbled.

"We fail..." Ino finished. They both sounded petrified.

"What do we do?" Hinata asked. She had no idea how they should handle this.

"Nothing." Ino said. "We act normal and if we need to, make some excuse for where we'll be. Our teams don't talk to each other so we should be fine."

"Ino is right." Sakura said. "So we act normal until we meet tomorrow."

"Um, right." mumbled Hinata.

'This will be hard. Over 24 hours with Sakura.' Ino thought.

"Your mission is to prevent them from reaching their objective, without them being aware of your presence." Gai-sensei said.

"Yeah, well, what's this enemy?" asked Shikamaru.

"Unknown."

"How do we find them, then?" asked Neji.

"I'll give you there path. You can't get close enough for them to see you. If the enemy discoveres your idenity, the mission is a failure."

"What the heck kinda mission is this?" yelled Naruto.

"An interception mission. You will only fail if your idenity is dicovered." Gai-sensei explained.

Shikamaru stopped listening. 'Man, this is such a drag. On the same team as Naruto. I guess Neji balances it out. Too bad for Ino and Choji, there going to have to find something to do without me.' Shikamaru looked at Gai-sensei. 'Why this guy?'

Naruto was yelling about something or another. Shikamaru hit Naruto in his head to silence him. "We got it." he said.

"Great. This the path..."

Sasuke ans Ten-ten walked together through the village.

"So where did they say they would be?" Ten-ten asked.

"Here." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke, Ten-ten." Kakashi came over to them. "I have a special mission the two of you."

"What is it?" Ten-ten asked.

"Just an observation mission.I'm going to have a team of juunen do a retrival mission. I want you to observe them and give a detailed report about what you see."

"Why us?" Sasuke asked.

"Ten-ten is very accurate, rule-oriented. And I know that no matter who you observe you won't go easy with the information. That's why I chose you two. Plus, you,ve never worked together, correct?"

They nodded and he continued. "Then it will be a good thing for you."

"What are your instructions for us?" both juunen asked at once.

"I want you to write seperate reports. When they stop, if they take something from anywhere, in it's place leave your reports and observations. Think you can handle it?"

"Yes." They, again, said at once.

"I thought so." he handed them a clip board. On the top was a blue envelope. "Inside there is your start location. Be there before dawn. It will be a team of three." Kakashi said.

"Lee..."

"Yes, Gai-sensei."

"I want you to do a favor for me. A special mission."

"I would be honored, sensei."

Gai-sensei handed Lee a map with an area circled in red. "Tomorrow morning, later that afternoon, and a few other times, I want you to check this area. If you see any information around, gring it to Kakashi or myself."

"Of course. I will be happy to."

"You will have to make frequent checks and record on the map where you found what."

"Yes. I will do my best, Gai-sensei."

"Well, this should be a test." Kakashi said.

"I'm sure my Lee will do great." Gai-sensei said.

"No offense, but all he has to do is collect paper. He'd be an idiot to mess that up."

Gai-sensei stopped. "Are you saying your kids are better than mine? I'll have you know my kids have done excellent to this point."

Kakashi looked up from his book. "Did you say something?"

------------------------------

Explinations- if you are confused this is what is happening.

Team 1- Ino, Sakura, Hinata

Team 2- Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji

Team 3- Sasuke, Ten-ten

Team 4- Lee

Team 1 is going on a mission. Team 2 has to get in there way. Team 3 has to watch and record what happens.Team 4 has to collect the information written by Team 3. None of the teams know about or who is in the other Teams.

-------------------------------------

Bonus Story! To apologize for the wait, here is an extra little side story about Ino and Shikamaru. This is close to when they first started dating.

"Sasuke is mine!"

"Why would he want a loser with a big forehead!"

"Well, why would he want a wannabe like you!"

"You think you have an edge because you're on his team, but he'll fall head over hills for me and you'll probably end up with Naruto!"

"Not on your life! I'll get Sasuke and I bet you won't even get Choji!"

"That's it! You wanna fight then lest's go!"

"Ino! Sakura!" Iruka-sensei came over. "What are you doing?"

The two of them pointed at each other and yelled. "She started it!"

"Sakura, come with me for a minute. Ino, wait over there and cool down."

Ino stomped over to a tree and sat on the bench in front of it. Choji and Shikamaru saw her and walked over. Ino sat there grumbling to herself angrily. They waited to see how long she would continue. It was a long time. Finally, Shikamaru asked. "What's wrong with you!"

"Sakura! That big foreheaded-loser! How dare she try and think that Sasuke is hers just because there on the same team. She couldn't get him if he was under a spell or deaf and blind and mute and cripple." Ino continued to go on.

Choji's stomache growled while Ino was still ranting. She didn't notice. "Man, all this rage is making me hungry. I think I'll go get something to eat."

"Yeah, I'll stay here. Nothing else to do." Shikamaru said.

Choji left, Ino was still angrily ranting. Shikamaru noticed that no one was around. He leaned foreward and kissed Ino's lips, stopping her talking. She blinked in surprize at this sudden action, neither stopping it nor encoraging it. He pulled away slightly, still really close to her face. "You know...you talk to much."

He kissed her again. She pushed him away this time. "What do mean, I talk to much. You have some nerve saying that to me. And what is your problem? Someone could have seen us."

"You worry too much. No one's around. And I had to stop you from talking somehow."

"What--"His lips crashed over hers before she could go into another rant. Her held her by her arms, stopping her attempt to pull away. He knew allshe would do is rant more. He thought of a way to really shock her silent. He pulled her close to him, almost on top of him. When she opened her mouth to complain, he slipped his tongue in past her lips. The lasted for a long time before he stopped. This time, she was silent after the kiss.

"It's a really good method to keep you quiet. I bet you forgot about Sakura, too."

Ino looked off into the sky. "Oh, yeah...I should sit with Sasuke at lunch today."

Shikamaru turned to leave. "Wait, where are you going?" Ino asked him.

"Why? Want me to stay or something?"

"No. Just wondering."

Ino thought for a minute. If I tried to set up Shikamaru with Sakura, I'd be able to get to Sasuke faster. That would be a good plan.

"Oh, yeah." Shikamnaru said. "Sasuke is off training. You could probably catch him by himself."

"Thanks." She went off to find Sasuke. Funny that neither of them noticed how close to love they really could be. But they weren't in it for love, just to stop the loneliness.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm only half sorry about the time it took to update. I was waiting for more reviews -hint, hint- but they didn't come. So I didn't update.

Then when I did decide to try to update I didn't have time or didn't know what to write.

So I apologize to the reviewers of chapter three only. I'm sorry for the wait.

The rest of you can kick rocks!

Just kidding, review and I like you.

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

_**Chapter 4**_

Sasuke and Ten-ten moved swiftly through the woods that surrounded their village. They wanted to try to familiarize themselves with the area as best they could in a such a little time. Since Kakashi had told them, they started training. Seeing how fast they could move, if they could sneak around each other, and throwing obstacles in the others way.

They were taking a break from serious training, thus, they were doing practice for training. Ten-ten slipped on a bunch of wet leaves but recovered silently with a side jump to another tree. She stayed silent but it put her behind Sasuke, whom she was currently trying to pass.

She jumped to take a path above his. Taking out a kunai, she threw it toward where he'd be soon. He slowed to dodge as she gained speed.

Sasuke, determined not to let her reach the (undetermined / non-existent) destination first, back flipped into her path, causing her to slip and stumble, then pressed forward from a branch.

Ten-ten fell to the lower path. She didn't allow herself to completely fall, though. She pushed herself up on her hands then flipped forward. It was starting to get to her that he was ahead of her. This was the forth time. She took the path over him again. She struck branches on her way knocking them in his path once she passed him. She glanced down and didn't see him. 'Where did he go?' He was just below me!'

Something pushed her down on a branch. Her arms were pinned behind her and a heavy weight was on her back. It was then when she realized that Sasuke had won for the fifth time now. She was annoyed.

"You were so focused on passing me that you didn't pay attention to anything else." He said from on top of her.

A shadow clone walked in front of her. "You didn't even see me coming."

Ten-ten rolled to the side, surprising Sasuke. She kicked him in the back and knocked him off, then she held him and his clone to the ground. "And you assumed that I was using most of my strength."

Him and his clone over took her easily. One holding her arms while the other was behind him. He let the hint of a smug smile show on his lips.

A clone of Ten-ten hit him from behind and he burst into smoke. She then hit him enough for him to be distracted and free her other self. They tried to hold him but his struggling both destroyed her shadow clone and caused them to fall. They still struggled on the way down, determined to make the other hit the ground first. They collectively dodged branches on the way down.

Once closer to the ground they heard footsteps. Grabbing each others hands then putting there feet up against the others, they jumped off each other and apart to separate branches.

They waited a while before they saw Ino walking away from the village. Both glanced at each other, nodded, then started to trail Ino. Pulling out a clip board, they tested ability to write, move, and keep alert. Ten-ten found it difficult to stay aware of all the things around her. She could keep up enough awareness to follow Ino and be sure she didn't hit the ground but that was it. If something were to attack her she'd never know.

Sasuke, while keeping alert, could not write and move and move through the trees. He found himself hesitating on a branch to write. Irritation built inside him as he saw how easily Ten-ten did it. Though neither said it out loud, both agreed that this was needed training.

Ino walked through the forest looking for Shikamaru. The fact that he wasn't at there meeting place had made her mad. She was building to go off on him. She saw someone in the distance and took it to be him. She called to him, "Shikamaru!"

The person turned around. Once closer, she saw that it wasn't him. This person had powder blue hair with black streaks, his eyes were the same blue. He was cute, dressed in black and gold.

Ino blushed. "I thought you were someone else." she said. She mentally scolded herself. Even though it was true, that was what everyone said.

"I get that a lot. I'm always that person standing in the distance."

"That seems so sad." Ino said.

"Not really. It gives me a mysterious edge. Plus, I get to meet cuties like you." He winked at her.

Ino averted her eyes her eyes. "So why were you here?"

"My name's Saino." Ino looked at, recognize that was not the answer to her question. "What's yours?"

"Oh, I'm Ino."

"Ino...suites you. It's cute." Saino smiled at her. "So who's that guy you were calling?"

Ino's eyes clouded angrily. She would not stop holding a grudge for him not meeting her. (A/N: Until Shikamaru seduces her, of course.) "Just a teammate of mine that pissed me off."

"They should be severely punished. To make such a beautiful rose show it's thorns." Ino blushed as he took her hand and pressed a kissed to the back of her palm. "To your earlier query, I have simply drifted from my intended path. I am not sorrowful about this, since I have gotten to see you."

Their eyes locked as she was about reply. The words escaped her mind. His gaze was softly intense. "The next time we meet, I hope we will have more time to speak." He disappeared in front of her eyes.

"Saino..."she whispered. "Well, he's still not Sasuke." Ino walked away.

Ten-ten and Sasuke, who had stopped opposite of each other, both looked up. Ten-ten gave him a look and he turned away. "I'm going to practice more." He hurried off.

"Wait up!" She said.

"Lee, why are you training so hard?" Sakura said.

Lee was doing push-up's, number 375 and going. He counted in between answering her. "I, 376, have to stay, 377, in top, 378, shape. 379."

"Do you always train this hard?" She asked.

"Yes. 384." Lee continued.

"How many are you trying to do?"

"I am aiming for 400, 390."

"Oh." Sakura looked around. She was looking for Naruto to tell him that she didn't want to try to prove Ino and Shikamaru were together. If she didn't tell him as soon as possible he might try to look for her. If Naruto was looking for her, she wouldn't accomplish anything. It would be far too much work to get rid of him. She noticed Naruto a ways away. It looked like he was something stupid. She whispered. "There he is." She walked away.

"I have made it to 400." Lee exclaimed standing up. "Sakura?" He looked around and saw her heading towards Naruto. "No!" He looked at the ground with a devastated expression. "I will not give up, No matter how long it takes Sakura will be mine."

"Naruto." Sakura came over to him. "About that whole Ino and Shikamaru thing..."

"Oh, yeah." He leaned closer to her and whispered -in a voice that still pretty loud (It's Naruto what do you expect)- "I'm going to do some undercover work on it."

"Wha?"

"We won't be in contact for a few days, but I'll stay on it."

"Naruto, would you listen to me a second?"

Naruto noticed Neji and Shikamaru looking for him and didn't want them to see. "Gotta go." he ran off.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled.

Shikamaru and Neji looked over at Naruto. They noticed Sakura calling his name. "Hey guys." Naruto said loudly, adding a nervously laugh after.

They looked at him. "You told." They both said accusingly.

"Wha! I didn't say thing." Naruto protested.

They began to leave. "This is such a drag." mumbled Shikamaru.

"I thought Lee was bad, but he was nothing compared to this idiot."

So, Hinata's team isn't in this chapter because all I know about Kiba is that has a dog and trench coat dude--well, enough said.

To you all, if I have not already said, I am not a Naruto experts so if you want someone in the story more tell me about them, there jutsuu's and stuff. If someone does not use a jutsuu that means I don't know it. So I now quest for you to tell me theses people's jutsu names and what they do or tell me it's okay to make stuff up.


	5. Chapter 5

No matter how long I take to update this story I won't quit on it.

Though I'm not quit sure what to do after this chapter.

Also, another bonus story! Well, the start of one. Enjoy!

__

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

**_Chapter 5_**

Hinata waited at the point where she was suppose to meet Ino and Sakura. Yesterday, she told her teammates she'd be busy for a while. Kiba fussed over her a while, asking if something was wrong before Shino convinced him to drop it. she knew she was early but she didn't want to be late.

In the trees, Sasuke and Ten-ten waited and watched Hinata arrive. they began to record what they saw on their clipboads. Hinata was first. She looked nervous and axious. On the top of there clipboards was a picture of the envelope they were suppose to leave their information in.

Ino walked towards where she was suppose to meet Sakura and Hinata. She was taking the long way, trying to prolong having to be around Sakura. "This is going to be the worst." she groaned to herself.

"Then why don't we fix that ?" A whisper in her ear and arms around her from behind, light kisses on her neck.

She leaned against him slightly and slipped into her usual state that she was in when she was with him. "Where do you always come from?"

"I appear when you need me." He said. He kissed down her neck, pulling her neckline down a bit.

She scoffed. "Need." She turned around and kissed him passoinately. For a second there was a slight hint of emotion between then. A nuetral sadness. She deepened the kiss and put her hands on his chest, readying herself to push him away. He held onto her wrist as she broke off the kiss and was about to push him away.

"How about this time I leave you?" Shikamaru kissed her forcefully before letting go of her and leaving.

Ino stared, shocked and a bit angry. "Man, he got the jump on me." She touched a bruise on her lips from the forceful kiss he gave her. "I wonder how long this will last?"

She continued her trudge towards the meeting spot. She put the thought of being around Sakura out of her head and began to fantisize about her and Sasuke's first date.

Ten-ten and Sasuke, placed at opposite sides, watched as Sakura arrived. Ino also arrived and the two had an arguement through whispers. Hinata tried to stop them and eventually they resolved to start their mission. The three fumbled around the trees and brush for the envelope before finding it's hiding place and glancing over it.

Sasuke resolved to move closer and see the envelope they were looking at. That was when he heard it. A soft rustle in the trees. He stopped and loooked to where he'd heard the sound. Sasuke stood stone still. He saw Shikamaru and Neji dragging a sleeping Naruto.

"This is such a drag. Lugging around thi idiot." Shikamaru said.

"Let him sleep. He'd be in our way otherwise." Neji answered.

Sasuke sent a glance at Ten-ten. She had seen them, too and was just as surprised. After a moment she looked down at her clipboard and began writting what was happening. He did the same. They had to be more careful now. They had to make sure they were not seen by Ino, Sakura, and Hinata; which was not that hard, but now they also had to keep hidden from Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto. Sasuke was mainly worried about Neji. He was pretty sharp. If one thing seemed the slightest bit out of order, he would catch on. Ten-ten was on his team so she knew a bit more about how to avoid being spotted.

'so Kakashi had a plan after all.' Sasuke smirked.

"This way I think." Sakura said.

"You think?" Ino challeged. "You're suppose to be a brain, you should now!"

Sasuke glanced over at Ten-ten. When she looked back he mouthed a question to her. _Who should get closer?"_

Ten-ten mouthed back. _"Neji would see you."_

During there training they had practiced ways to alert eack other. Signs, tappings, and lip reading. He signaled for her to cause a distraction. She reached into her pocket and nodded towards him. He nodded back. This would depend on timing.

He glanced to hurriedly find a place that he could see from but not be seen. He picked a spot that was almost directly behind sakura. It was risky but if he read quickly he could make it. He heard the faint sound of something hitting a tree, waited three seconds, he moved to the place. He quickly read over the direction on the envelope and copied them onto his clipboard. It was simple code. There was an extra letter in the words, both at the front and end. He thought over the directions and figured which way they should go. A few meters foreward then they needed to go west. (They were facing south)

He stealthly moved away from from Sakura and into a position where ten-ten could see him. _"West."_

Ten-Ten nodded understanding what he meant.

"Um, I think we should go--" Hinata started but was cut off.

"Sakura, why are you being so slow? You show off and act smart for Sasuke in school but you don't know anything do you?" Ino said a bit too audibly.

Sasuke twiched a bit at them mentioning his name.

"Ino, keep your voice down." Sakura said.

"Um, I know where we need to go." Hinata said.

"Don't act like you're in charge, now." Ino said to Sakura.

Sasuke noted the fact that Ino and Sakura were aruguing and not listening to Hinata. They were unfocused and bickering and Hinata was too quiet and needed to speak up. She'd be stupid to fail a mission because her teammates -of whom have no leader- refused to listen to her. If it had been him, he would have made them listen or just go on his own.

"I'm not trying to. I just think you should be a little less loud." Sakura said.

"Sakura. Ino." Hinata said. This time they heard her and turned to look at her. "We have to go west." The twoo of them looked confused. "I just figured out the code and we need to go west from that point there." She pointed to where a tree branch had a cut in the bak.

'So he helped them out.' Sasuke thought. He was a bit mad that he had not noticed. Writing and keeping alert was a lot of work and he hadn't had time to prepare.

He looked to see ten-ten observing Neji's team. He couldn't help but wonder what they were doing here. Maybe Kakashi hadn't told them the whole story. Yes, that was probably it. Sasuke thought of the test he'd put him, Naruto, and Sakura though. He hadn't told them everything then, either. In fact, he had lied about them about being able to give food to Naruto. But what were they hear for? Do they have an actually mission? They have to. They said that Naruto would get in there way so they must have had a mission. He needed to stop trying to figue it out so hard.

Ten-ten was taking care of watching them. He wasn't one that easily depended on others. Though, he'd sooner depend on her than his teammates Naruto or Sakura, he still wasn't big on it. One thing he new, this was going to be a **long** mission.

"Man, he is heavy." Shikamaru complained in a low tone. "Can i just throw him instead of a weapon?"

Neji gave him a look that said he did not appreiate the joke.

'He is way too uptight.' Shikamaru thought.

"Why don't you take him then?" He said.

"Fine." Neji took Naruto. A look crossed his face as he heaved Naruto over his sholder.

"Told ya he was heavy." Shikamaru said.

_**Bonus Story: Naruto Dream**_

Naruto stood in an open feild. He looked around, confused. "Huh? Where am I?"

"Naruto." Sakura turned to see him. "I was fool."

"A fool?" Naruto asked.

"I spent all this time worrying over Sasuke, I was such a fool. It's you that I really love."

"I-it's me." he asked.

"Mmm-hm." She noddd.

"Oh, yes!" Naruto cried. "I always loved you, too, Sakura!"

"Come here and give me a big kiss." She cooed.

"Yeah!" He yelled. "Here I come!" He ran towards her.

_**"Not so fast."**_

Naruto stopped and saw the nine tailed fox standing behind behinding Sakura. She turned around slowly and fearfully. It wrapped one of it's tail around her body.

"Naruto, what is this?" Sakura yelled.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the nine tailed fox. "Let her go!"

It stared him down before it turned to run off with Sakura.

"Get back here with her!" Naruto yelled him.

_**"She will make a tasty snack."**_

"Don't touch her. If you do anything to her, I'll kill you! Believe it!"

The fox laughed and it rumbled through the surrounding trees.

"Don't worry, Sakura, I'll save you!"

"hurry, Naruto! Hurry!" Sakura's voice said. It sounded far away.

Naruto continued to run in the direction the fox went.

TO BE CONTINUED


	6. Chapter 6

From last time... _**Naruto's dream**_

Naruto, finally, was face to face with the nine tailed fox. It licked Sakura's face, tasting her flesh.

"Ew, gross." Sakura said shuddering.

"Hey, you!" Naruto yelled. The fox turned around. "I'm going to defeat you and save Sakura, believe it!"

"Oh, Naruto." Sakura stared at him with a love-struck expression.

_**"You will not win."**_

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

**_Chapter Six_**

Shikamaru and Neji, lugging Naruto, followed Sakura, Ino, and Hinata. They were in a higher level of the trees, but following nonetheless. Neji kept a tight watch on the tree girls and their surroundings. He looked for any chance to slow or stop them, without knowing where they were going.

Shikamaru, though, was thinking on Ino. _'We both said goodbye just so we'd be around each other like this.' _He thought. _This is such a drag. Why was I dragged on this stupid mission?_

Still, he saw this as an opportunity. Ino never missed a chance to voice her dislike of him. It was annoying. He thought he'd use this time to get back. He wasn't all to fond of her either. He positioned himself over her and used his shadow possession jutsu. He kept his movements the same as hers for a moment. When he jumped on a branch wider than hers, he jumped on the very edge and watched her drop and fall out of his control.

"Ahhh!" Ino let the small scream escape her lips.

Sakura and Hinata looked back for her. "Ino!" Sakura called.

Hinata went back a ways and saw Ino on the ground. "Here she is." Hinata called.

Sakura came to look with Hinata. They both stared down at Ino. "What happened?" Sakura asked.

"Ugggh..."Ino groaned. "I fell..."

"You're so clumsy." Sakura said. "Really Ino..." she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe we should walk." Hinata said.

"No, I'm fine." Ino got up and jumped back to where they were.

Shikamaru took control of Ino again. She bumped into the other two girls and knocked hem off the branch, falling down with them. "Ahh!" Hinata yelled.

"Ino!" Sakura yelled.

"What are you doing?" Neji asked Shikamaru curiously.

"Slowing them down." he answered. "Giving them more reason to argue."

Sakura landed under everyone else, Hinata over her with Ino on top. It took them a while to get up and even longer to stop arguing over the spill.

Sasuke and Ten-ten were still recording events on their clipboards. Sasuke had noticed something strange that Ten-ten did not. He noted that Shikamaru had used his jutsu. They were not able to watch everything. They were on edge. Neji's team above them and Sakura's below. They felt how cryptic this would be on a mission, though neither admitted to it. They had to be apart to see more, yet they felt better hidden together. They tried to sync their movements, to reduce noise, unsuccessfully. One was always ahead. When they did sync it was only for a moment.

They had to function independently while remaining a team. This would not have been so difficult if not for their mission requirements. If either was seen, they would both be caught. This caused them to, very frequently, watch the other -as well as the two teams. They became aware of the others faults. Ten-ten noticed and recorded Sasuke's difficulty at writing while in motion. She also found time to let out slight giggles when the Great Sasuke Uchiha almost tripped. Though she would promptly rescue him from sight if he actually did.

Sasuke was noticing her lack of awareness. It was slight, but there. He'd be able to get far closer to her than he should b able to without notice. She tended to rest her eyes on a sight too long. Though, this he learned from closely watching her. Mostly only to see her mistakes. He hadn't forgotten how much better at this she ha seemed to be and he was determined to find a flaw.

Something as insufficient as this, though, Sasuke wouldn't write down. He wanted a more plausible flaw to record.

They hadn't gotten to far by nightfall. They argued over every little thing and wasted much time. It didn't help that Shikamaru made Ino look like an absolute klutz. After more argument about what to do for night, Hinata stepped up and said she'd take the first watch while the others slept. She told them if anything happened or she got tired she got tired she'd wake one of them -careful not to say which one.

Neji and Shikamaru had a different reasoning behind who'd stay up. So far, they just kept Naruto asleep, but they knew even Naruto couldn't sleep forever. When he awoke that day, they just knocked him back out.

Their dilemma was which one of them had the most patience left. Whoever was p had to keep watch over Sakura, Ino, Hinata, their surrounding, and Naruto-awake or not.

Shikamaru decided that since he did the most, he should rest. Neji tired to argue only for a moment, but when Shikamaru asked if he **really **wanted someone like him to keep watch, Neji quickly halted any argument.

Sasuke and Ten-ten weren't as worried. They kept together, back to back on a larger branch, and slept. They were both light sleeper and would wake up if they heard anything. Sasuke especially.

_**Naruto's Dream**_

Naruto delivered a swift kick, then a punch, then another kick and defeated the nine tailed-fox.

Sakura wailed from the ground, "Oh, Naruto! You saved me!"

"It was nothing." He said.

"I love you even more!" She cried.

"For real!"

"Let me give you a reward." Sakura came over to him. She bent down to kiss him. Her lips came to his... closer... closer...

Then he woke up.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzZZZZZ

I really do take way too long to update. I hope you all have gotten use to it. Now then, I want more people to review. I have the next two chapter written and I may or may not type them up today and add them. I plan to do it soon...but I plan a lot of things hat don't always get done. One day I'll be more consistant.

I was wondering, how would you like Ino and Shikamaru to fall in love? I'm considering making it happen.

I also want your opinion on Sasuke and Ten-ten. Should they have something? It seemed like it could go that way, but I want opinions. I'm moving forward slowly, but I don't have a clue what I'm moving toward.

I want and need reviews now. Help me write this story, it will be easier write. Give me feedback.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Not Love: Loneliness**_

_**Chapter seven**_

Shikamaru, carrying naruto, jumped in pace with Ino and Sakura's walking. Hinata being behind the two. He carelessly let Naruto's head hit the bark of a tree. Naruto awoke quickly, holding his head. "What's the big idea!" he yelled.

Neji and Shikamaru both covered his mouth. "Shut up!" Shikamaru hissed.

"Be quiet, idiot." Neji spat.

Below them, the three girls stopped at the sudden noise. _Naruto?_ Hinata and Sakura wondered.

Naruto still struggled, yelling loudly though his mouth was covered. Something about almost getting a kiss from Sakura. Neji and Shikamaru nodded at each other and took Naruto away from the three.

It was Ten-ten who followed them. She told Sasuke to practice more while she was gone. He knew what she meant.

Neji and Shikamaru took ther hands off Naruto's mouth. "What's the big idea! Why did you kidnapp me?" He yelled.

"You're not being kidnapped you dolt." Neji said angrily.

Naruto looked at the two of them. "Huh? What are you guys doing here?" The two just sighed. "What am I doing here? Where is here?"

Ten-ten positioned herself within hearing range.

"We're on the mission Gai-sensei gave us." Shikamaru said. "What, are you brain dead?"

"If he has a brain" Neji added. "We have to interfer with Ino, Hinata, and Sakura."

"Sakura! She's here! Where! Where?" Naruto jumped up and looked around. "Hey, I don't see her. What gives?" Shikamaru clonked him on the head. "Hey, what did you do that for?" Naruto yelled, holding his head.

'This is a secret mission, you dolt." He told him. "You can't talk to them and stop being so loud. We can't be found out."

"This is pointless." Neji said. "This fool couldn't keep his mouth shut to chew his food."

"I can so." He mumbled.

"We'll see." He said, heading out toward the three girls.

Shikamaru sighed. _This is such a drag._

_So we're all trapped._ Ten-ten thought. _Ino's team isn't suppose to be seen, yet Sasuke and myself are suppose to watch them. And Neji's team is to run interference. Neji's team, also, is suppose to be unseen, yet if Saske and I don't see them or they us, it shows our lack of skill. No matter what two teams are going to be spotted, if not all, so what's the real mision here? I don't get it..._

Ten-ten followed Shikamaru and Naruto back. This is a bit confusing. _What is Kakashi-sensei thinking?_

"Okay, we aren't getting anything done." Ino said.

_Finally_. Sasuke thought. _Someone noticed._

"For once, I agree." Sakura said. "We need to pick a group leader."

"There's only one reasonable choice."

_Here they go. _Sasuke and Hinata both thought, expecting another arguement.

"Hinata." both girls said.

"What?" Hinata said.

_What!_ Sasuke thought.

_What?_ Neji thought. _There is no way..._

"I-I can't be leader." Hinata said, as Neji expected.

"You're the only one." Ino told her, putting her hands on her hips.

"All Ino and I would do is fight." Sakura added.

"But...but..."

"No but's!" Ino said to Hinata. "You are the group leader. If this mission fails..."

"Ino." Sakura reprimanded, this being the only time she could without an arguement.

_They must be smarter than I thought._ Sasuke said in his head.

_They must be dumber than I thought._ Neji shook his head.

"I found the next envelope." Ino said.

"I guess Kakashi-sensei didn't think we'd get very far." Sakura said.

_I wonder why?_ Sasuke, Neji, and Shikamaru -who'd just caught up- all thought sarcastically.

"Give it to our team leader if it's too much for you." Ino said.

"We go this way." Sakura ran out in the proper direction. Hinata and Ino followed her. Shikamaru and Neji, half pulling Naruto, followed them. Ten-ten and Sasuke put what they'd reorded in the envelope still stuck to the tree, then followed the two teams. After a while they heard sounds of fighting. Ino noticed one of the fighters. Powder blue hair with black streaks and eyes the same blue as his hair, wearing black and gold.

"Saino!" Ino yelled without thinking, running over to him. He was fgting two men and a girl. He was fighting fist to fist with the two men. The girl was at the side throwing weapons.

"Ino!" Sakura yelled. She stayed where she was, not wanting to get caught up in anything.

Ino positioned herself in line with the girl. "Protect my body." she said. She used her mind transfer jutsu on the girl. Ino's body fell on it's knees, limp. Ino inside the other girl attacked quickly. She eliminated one of the men while Saino took out the other. Then she gave the girl's body a few nealy fatal wounds. After a moment, she returnd o her own body.

Saino was vastly confused. He looked at the three girls. "Ino." He said smiling. "Thanks for helping me." He looked in her eyes once she stood up.

Ino blushed. "You're welcome." she smiled.

"Who's this?" Sakura questioned. "He's not from the village."

"Um, hello." Hinata said.

"Friends of yours?" Saino sked. He smiled at Hinata, causing her to blush.

"Teammates." Ino said.

Ten-ten and Sasuke exchanged a glance. They remembered him from a day ago. Ino met him in the forest around the village. Something seemed a bit odd.

"Ino, can I talk to you a minute?" Sakura said in a pressing tone.

"In a minute." she said.

"I really need to talk to you." Sakura insisted.

"Not now." Ino said through cleenthed teeth. She smiled at Saino. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was just heading to a neary village." He said. "Why? Would you like to come?"

"Ino!" Sakura screamed.

"please excuse me." Ino said. She walked a ways away. "What do you want!"

Who is that guy!" Sakura demanded. "We don't have time to waste on strangers. We have a mission."

"I've met him before. Cool it."

"Why are you acting like you're in love with him?" Sakura asked.

"The only person for me is Sasuke. You need to calm down. Go with it, sometimes."

Sasuke twitched at the mention of his name. Couldn't these girls keep his name off their tongue for a day!

Hinata came over to the two. "Sakura. Ino." She said. "The village is southwest. The same direction where we're going."

"See, miss smartie. Calm down." Ino said. "He can lead us to the village and go from there. No problem at all."

"I don't think this is a good idea." Sakura said.

"Ask our group leader." Ino said as she went back to Saino.

Sakura looked at Hinata. "Well, it is in our path." she said.

"I still don't think this is a good idea." Sakura said.

In the trees, a thought crossed Naruto. _Ino can't be in love with Shikamaru, she's all over this guy._ He thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Not Love:Loneliness**

Saino lead the three girls to the village and a problem presented itself to the other teams. How could they stay hidden and still watch the girls?

Naruto, forgetting the mission completely, wanted to look around. Shikamaru and Neji played rock, paper, scissors to see who would look after him. Much to Neji's dismay, Shikamaru won. Hinata and Sakura weren't sure when Ino snuck off with Saino, but she wasn't with them when they looked around. Shikamaru decided to follow the two as they wee leaving. Whether curiosity or jealousy or more revenge guided him was uncertain.

Sasuke and ten-ten thought they'd just forget their mission a while. Neither of them were hardly going to spy on Ino and that guy she met. Naruto wold be doing something random and stupid if they followed him. Sakura and Hinata were the last people they had to worru about together. Sasuke and Ten-ten were quite hungry and this would be a dood rest for them.

"Do you live in this village?" Ino asked.

"No." Saino replied.

"What are you doing then? Showing up near my village and then being attacked in my path, I almost think you followed me." She laughed.

"I'd think so too when put that way." He replied. "I am simply on a sort of quest. In the heat of my tale I came across this beautiful girl. Stunning looks with the attitude of and angel, yet it seems you have the fury of a demon."

_'This is sickening'_ Shikamaru thought.

"People just infuriate me sometimes." Ino said.

"I was referring to the way you acted in battle. What kind of juustu was that?"

"Mind transfer. Perhapse the only one I can do that's my own."

Saino stopped his walking and turned to her. He looked deep into her eyes, searching. "I'm sure you have more talent than you believe." He stepped closer, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips softly. "Even a budding rose is full of enchantment." He told her softly.

Ino blushed and averted her eyes. "You haven't seen me fight." she whipered.

"Perhapse you just need the ambition." He said. He whispered to her,"It seems you have an admirer other than me." She turned her head to look but he turned it back. "He's been following us for sometime."

Getly, he spun her around in the direction of Shikamaru. They blinked at each other.

_'He followed me...'_

_'She caught me!'_

"Shikamaru!" Ino yelled.

"So this, then," Saino spoke up. "Is the teammate who had enticed your anger at our first encounter."

"Uhh...Ino..." shikamaru tried to think of any excuss why he was there. '_If I get caught, it's over.'_

"Did love persuade you to follow her?" Saino asked.

"N-no." He stuttered. The idea of him and Ino in love threw him completely off.

"That is good." He took her hand. "Because I am."

"Another bowl of ramen, please!" Naruto yelled, holding his bowl in the air.

Neji sat next to him with a grim face eating his own food. "Do you have enough to pay for that?"

"Of course. I can pay for at least tweenty more of these!" Naruto exclaimed.

_'And you probably will.'_Neji thought with a groan. Neji's eyes drifted to the side where he saw Sakura and Hinata coming towards them. They were talking to each other and not looking in there direction, yet.

"Where could Ino have run off to?" Sakura asked.

"I don't think we'll find her here." Hinata replied.

Neji grabbed Naruto. "Come on."

"But I haven't finishd my ramen!" He yelled.

"Shut up!" Neji snapped quietly. "You can eat somewhere else!" He pulled Naruto into a bush and held his hand over his mouth.

"Did you just hear..." Sakura started.

"Naruto?" Hinata questioned.

"no way. It couldn't be." Sakura said. "Why would Naruto be here?"

"You almost got us caught you idiot!" Neji whispered. _Of all the people, I had to get stuck with this fool._

"I see what you mean, Ten-ten." Sasuke was saying. "Why would Kakashi send us into a trap like this?"

"In the report we delivered I put something in there about it." she said.

"I don't think it matters." They both sighed.

In the Leaf village

Gai and Kakashi read over the reports made by Sasuke and Ten-ten.

"Are you really going to stop them from being ninja's if they get caught?" Gai asked.

"No." Kakashi answered.

"Then what was the point of sending them on this mission?"

"I was tired of seeing them laying around the village all day." Kakashi answered truthfully. "At least this way they think they're doing something. I didn't think they'd figure it out so fast."

"That was the only reason!"

"Well, no." Kakashi said. "I did want them to pick up this book I ordered."

"A book! That's all!" Gai's jaw dropped.

"It's a very important book. You should read one of these, they're really quite interesting."

Okay, I really did think I had already put this chapter up. But no worries, it's up now and nobody hates me for taking so long right?

...Right?


	9. Chapter 9

Okay, we know how this goes. I apologize, you forgive me.

I know I'v probably said this before, but it's not my fault.

By the time this is up I should have internet at my house again,

then the only reason I'll have for slow updates is laziness.

_**Not Love:Loneliness**_

"What?!" Shikamaru and Ino both exclaimed.

"You-you-you love me?" Ino stuttered

"How could I not fall in love with you?" Saino asked. He turned to Shikamaru. "It isn't a problem, is it?"

"Wha-why would I care?" Shikamaru yelled. _'Right, why it bother me? I don't even like her.'_

Ino stared at Shikamaru. "You don't care even a little?" She yelled. She couldn't understand why she was mad. She didn't care about him. She loved Sasuke. Sasuke! Shikamaru didn't matter.

"Th-that's right." She whispered to herself. Then she yelled, "It doesn't matter because I love Shikamaru!" Ino's eyes opened wide at her own words. _'No, this isn't right. I love Sasuke. Why did I say...'_ Ino turned and ran, leaving two shocked men behind her.

"So, think we should tell them?" Sasuke asked after he finished his food.

Ten-ten put down her glass of water and looked at Sasuke. "Hmmm...I suppose we could, but..." Ten-ten began to think of how everyone would act. The girls would run to her to fix everything, she'd have to be a mother to all the boys, she'd be expected to stay by Neji, and they'd all bug her and Sasuke about everything. She preferred for that not to happen. Sasuke actually had a mature streak, unlike the others, and unlike Neji he wasn't overly uptight.

"Maybe we shouldn't say anything." Sasuke said. He was looking at Neji struggling to keep Naruto quite and at Sakura and Hinata. She could definately understand his heisitancy. Those girls haven't kept his name out of their mouth since the mission started. "I do think that we should tell someone something..." Sasuke mused.

"Hmm?" Ten-ten blinked. "Tell what to who?"

"Oh, boy, I cannot wait! I will deliver Kakashi-sensei's package in no time, do not worry." Lee said to himself as he hoped through the trees.

"We'll never find Ino." Sakura whined.

"I'm sure we'll find her any minute, now." Hinata said.

"How dare she just go running off somewhere! The nerve!" Sakura screamed. Just then, Ino plowed right into Sakura, causing all three girls to tumble. "That hurt!" Sakura yelled from her position sprawled on the ground.

"Oww..." Hinata mumbled.

"Ino, where were you--"

"I'm in love with Sasuke." Ino exclaimed, cutting Sakura off.

"What does that have to do with--"

"Only Sasuke!!!" She yelled. "Sasuke! Sasuke!! SASUKE!!!"

Sakura and Hinata stared at her. Neji and Naruto stared at her from their position in the bushes they were hinding in. Ten-ten and Sasuke also stared from where they sat. The both of them stood up, still looking at Ino, took a few steps back, then jumped into the trees where it was safe. There was no way they were going to reeal themselves to these people.

"Ino, what's wrong with you?" Sakura asked.

"Nothing! Nothing is wrong with me!" She yelled.

"Ino!" Saino called as he ran over to her. Shikamaru was somewhere behind him. "The village is under attack!"

"What?" She asked.

"What!" Naruto and Neji exclaimed coming out of the bushes.

"The ones that attacked earlier are after you and your friends." Saino screamed.

"Why?" Naruto yelled.

"Again." Neji sighed.

"Because you helped me." He answered to Ino as if she had asked the question.

"I should have known a good deed would come back to bite us in the--"

"Let's get out of here!" Naruto yelled, cutting off shikamaru's murmur. They all stared to run, Ten-ten and Sasuke following safely in the trees. _'Does it ever fail for one of us to attract trouble?'_ They all thought.


	10. Chapter 10

**Not Love:Loneliness**

In the forest, far from the village, the tired group rested. Sasuke and Ten-ten panted from high in the tree as they tried to catch there breath. On the ground, the others leaned against the trees. Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Naruto, Neji, and Shikamaru. Saino stood near Ino as he leaned on his knees.

"Say, why are they after you, anyway?" Naruto asked.

"Well, all of you are from the leaf village, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Naruto said.

"Well, they don't like the leaf village too much. Then again, I don't either. That's why I lead you out here where they could ambush you."

"What!" Neji said. He was quickly becoming angry at himself for not paying more attention to his surroundings.

"You're lying." Ino said.

"Nope. When we saw you, the idea came to us to just lure ninja's out the village before we attacked. Since we saw you leaving we figured we'd test out that plan." Saino sain.

"Why you little--" Naruto couldn't even finish his statement. He punched Saino in the face and there was a puff f smoke as a log hit the ground before him.

"Substituition juutsu." Sakura said. She then shrieked as a kunai hit the tree right above her head.

"Split up." Shikamaru called. Everyone jumped out away from the spot they were in, not even paying attention to who they were with. Neji found himself with Hinata, Shikamaru and Ino found they were together with the addition of Sakura, and Naruto was alone.

"Hey what's the big idea!" Naruto yelled when he found no one was standing close to him. A ninja appeared before him and he ducked down to avoid a boot to the face.

"What are you doing near me!" Ino yelled.

"You're the one who jumped next to me." Shikamaru replied. He used his shadow possession juustu on a lone ninja. "Why don't you do something useful."

"Oh, shut up!" Ino said as she did her hand signs. "Watch my body, Sakura." Ino used her mind transfer juutsu on the ninja Shikamaru captured. Ino, in the body of the ninja, then ran off and Shikamaru followed.

"Wait, what am I suppose to do?" Sakura cried.

A ninja appeared immediately and reared to attack. Naruto and five of his clones knocked him out and completely pumbled him. "You should be careful, Sakura."

"Naruto..." Sakura looked up at him. Naruto prepared to hear her confess her gratitude and love. "What took you so long!"

"Geez, Sakura, you could say a little thanks." Naruto said.

Hinata and Neji were fighting back to back, Neji constantly telling Hinata not to drop her guard or lose focus. He had never realized how good a fighter she was, even if she wasn't as good as him. They were quickly taking out their opponents with just a few hits tothe right pressure points. Neither of them truly noticed how they were a compliment to one another in battle. Neji was on high guard to watch Hinata and himself and pushed harder than if he were alone or with one of his teammates. Hinata, in trying to male up for her under-confidence, was able to notice small things that Neji overlooked. Both of their skill made sure that neither of them had to take care of the other too much.

In the trees, Ten-ten was hitting everyone she could with paralysis needles and other fast acting poisons.Sasuke took out anyone who approached them or was in his sight with his fireball juutsu and a few quick powerful blows.

"This is all Kakashi's fault." Ten-ten said.

"All because he sent us on a fake mission." Sasuke continued for her.

"Wait until we get back, Kakashi." Ten-ten muttered.

Sasuke laughed slightly. _'I wonder how that will turn out.'_he thought. Ino ran through slitting the throats of the ninja caught in Shikamaru's shadow possession. The fighting(or rather, easy killing) was a huge distraction for her and she was grateful to have it.

Everyone's thoughts were the same. _'Why was this battle so easy?'_Whether it was everyone's teamwork, Ino killing anyone Shikamaru froze for her, or Sasuke and Ten-ten paralyzing, poisoning, and setting fire to anyone they saw, the battle went faster than it should have.

Naruto and his clones banged the heads of two ninja's together and let them fall to the ground. "See anymore, Sakura?" Naruto asked.

Sakura sat in a tree holding Ino's body. She had been acting as lookout. (being useless as anything else.) "No, that's the last of them." She was also guarding Ino's body.(She had to throw a kunai at this one guy. She did something.)

Naruto collapsed onto the ground. "Man, that was exhausting."

"Yeah." Sakura agreed. (Though she didn't do anything!!)

"You're telling me." Ino agreed, back in her body. Sakura jumped and dropped Ino's body. "Sakura!" She yelled from on top of Naruto who'd been under the tree.

"Sorry." Sakura called down. "You surprised me."

"Stupid, clumsy, Sakura."Ino mumbled to herself. She picked up and dusted herself off. "I have to go, don't tell shikamaru where I went." she ran off.

A few moments later Shikamaru showed up. "Either of you seen Ino?" He asked.

"She went that way." Naruto and Sakura both pointed.

"Thanks." Shikamaru said, going in the direction they said.

"Ino will be mad." Naruto said.

"Yeah, I think maybe you were right about them." She said, looking down.

"Really?" He scratched his chin."I think I was way off. I mean, did you just see that."

"How come you never listen to what I say?" Sakura explained. "You always say the opposite of what I do."

"I think you're wrong on this one, Sakura." Naruto continued.

"They're gone, brother." Hinata said. "We finished the last of them." Hinata slid to the ground, tired from fighting. Neji leaned his back against her and took a few breaths.

"You did good, Hinata." He told her.

"I-I just did my best." she mumbled.

"I'm glad I fought with you...sister."

Hinata looked at him, but his face was the same as always. She smiled. Neji finally respected her, even if just a little.

"Neji's getting along with Hinata." Ten-ten whispered.

"Who would have thought all she had to do to earn his respect was fight with him?" Sasuke said.

"I would." She answered. Sasuke looked at her. "I'm not saying I did, it just seems very...Neji."

"And you know all about everything Neji." He commented.

Ten-ten pushed Sasuke off the branch, but he simply landed on another. He smiled smugly at her. "So what if I used to like him, I don't anymore." Ten-ten said. "I haven't in a long time."

"Yeah, now you like Lee." Sasuke said. Ten-ten threw a few of her paralysis educing needles at him, just barely missing by millimeters as he tried to dodge. "It was a joke." Sasuke said as he tried to escape.

"So is this." Ten-ten cried as she threw a few more near misses. The two of the ran through the trees over Ino and Shikamaru but had no time to stop.

"Ino, wait up!" Shikamaru said as he was catching up to her. "Ino!"

Finally, she whirled on him. "Look, about what I said--" Ino never got to finish her statement because of a pair of lips that suddenly attached themselves to hers. She felt herself nearly fall to her knew at the kiss.

"It doesn't matter what you said before." He told her. "You still don't want to be lonely, do you?"

"No..."

"Alright, then. That's all I need to know."

"But--" He kissed her again, cutting off her words. He backed her against a tree and slid his tongue into her mouth. It was the most passionate kiss that they ever shared, if they'd ever had a passionate kiss. Her knees started to go weak but he held her up.

"Ino." The way he said her name made her melt. So softy... "Don't you get it?"

"Get what?" She asked.

"We're already dating. We have been this whole time. It doesn't matter right now." He kissed her again. She noticed that there was real emotion in his kiss and let herself drown in it. He was right it didn't matter. Not mow.

For the first time in a long time; the first time since she was younger, the first time since she loved Sasuke, she did not feel even slightly that she was alone.

**Bonus Scene**

"Gai-sensei." Lee said. "I have returned with a message a message."

"A message? For who?" Gai asked.

"It is for Kakashi-sensei."

"Me?" Kakashi asked pointing to himself.

"Yes. The book you have ordered 'Lover's Paradise' won't be in for another two weeks."

"I see." Kakashi said. "Good thing the second copy I ordered has already arrived." He held up the book.

"So are you saying you sent those kids out there for nothing!" Gai questioned.

"Well, someone had to pick up the other book."

"Kakashi, you may be an excellent teacher, but you're an awful parental guardian."

Kakashi just laughed.

Yes, this is the end. So what do you think? Before you start whining I'm going to write a sequel. Or maybe it's just a follow-up story. The point is, It will be called **Mental Chalice**and all you whiner will finally get your silly Ino/Shika fluff and love. There will be other pairings. People did get close in this story, and that affects there relationship in the next one. If you love me, this story, or any of the characters you'll review. The sand ninja's will be in the next on too. I love them(except Kankuro, he's just wierd) and I wish I could have had them in this story. (again, except Kankuro)

Review if you love us! I hope you liked it! And if you didn't, it's not to late. Give me suggestions, demands, anything for the next one. I promise, I really do read and listen to every single one. I even reply to all the signed reviews personally.

The sequel will be on hold for a while(or longer) but it will get done. If any can give me suggestions, DO IT!!Help me out! The pairing are probably going to be Ino/Shikamaru, Sasuke/Ten-ten, Kiba/OC, Naruto/Sakura but this is not final. Except for Shikamaru and Kiba's pair.


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